Jesus Predicts His Death

ByJim Stephens

Scripture: Matthew 16:21-23 (Click link for scripture in Bible Gateway)

21 From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead. 22 But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”  (Matthew 16:21–23 NLT)

Jesus was nearing the completion of his ministry and his life. He was increasingly aware of the urgency of the situation and the way things were going to go down. As he began to prepare his closest followers for his imminent death and resurrection, it didn’t set well with them!

Jesus’ miracles of feeding the hungry, healing all kinds of sickness and disease, bringing dead people back to life, and calming raging storms on Lake Galilee translated in their thinking to a political takeover of Jerusalem (The Temple), and Israel (defeating King Herod), the military defeat of the Roman Empire, and the glorious introduction of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth (with Jesus as King and themselves in positions of power and authority). So Peter took it on himself to set Jesus straight!

Jesus confronted Peter strongly, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap for me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

  • Satan had offered Jesus an easy way to be King of the World before, and Jesus had recognized the temptation for the trap that it was.
  • Peter was unwittingly, with best intentions, doing what Satan had done over three years earlier, suggesting a shortcut, an easy way to the fulfillment of God’s plan.
  • Jesus again recognized that anything short of his death, burial, and resurrection for our salvation and for the Kingdom, was still a trap.
  • When we see things merely from a human point of view, not God’s viewpoint, we still look for short-cuts, and we still want to avoid necessary pain and sacrifice.

Prayer:

Father, Please help my friends and me not to see things merely from a human point of view, but to see with eyes of the spirit and listen with the ears of our hearts.